1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet discharge device and an image forming apparatus including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile, and a multi-function printer includes a sheet discharge device configured to discharge a sheet on which an image has been formed to a discharged sheet stacking portion provided outside of the image forming apparatus.
There is known such a sheet discharge device provided with a destaticizing brush at a sheet discharge port as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei. 11-171388 for example. The destaticizing brush makes it possible to stack the sheet stably on the discharged sheet stacking portion by removing static electricity accumulated in the sheet during conveyance thereof before discharging the sheet to the discharged sheet stacking portion. There is also known a sheet discharge device provided with a full-load detection lever configured to detect a full-load of sheets stacked on the discharged sheet stacking portion as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-238016. The full-load detection lever also functions as a guide member guiding a sheet being discharged to the discharged sheet stacking portion.
Here, if the sheet discharge device includes the destaticizing brush and the full-load detection lever for example, it is conceivable that the destaticizing brush may be damaged by being sandwiched by the full-load detection lever and the sheet in discharging the sheet. That is, if the discharge of the sheet is continued in the state in which the destaticizing brush is sandwiched by the sheet to be discharged and the full-load detection lever, there is a possibility that tips of the destaticizing brush may be curled and deformed. If the tips of the destaticizing brush are cured, there is a possibility that parts where the destaticizing brush cannot be in contact with the sheet are brought about and it becomes unable to assure stable destaticizing performance. Still further, if the tips of the destaticizing brush are curled and if the tips of the destaticizing brush are tilted by being pushed by a front end of the sheet, and if an edge of a curled tip comes in contact with a full-load detection lever prior to a sheet, a reaction force caused by own weight of the full-load detection lever acts on the destaticizing brush. If the reaction force from the full-load detection lever acts on the destaticizing brush, there is a possibility that marks made by contact with the destaticizing brush are generated at the front end of the sheet, thus dropping quality of the sheet.